Orphans by Draumr

[Keeper Of Lore]

It was nighttime in Eversong Woods but Fires bathed the darkness with light and the cries of death carried themselves through the streets of the once great elven city of Silvermoon. The clang of metal and the bashing of shields was heard off in the distance as a group of female elves and children fled from the might of Arthas and his scourge army. The group that fled the city were led by an elven magi named Arathyan.
One of the elven women stepped forward and placed her arm on Arathyan’s arm in compassion. It was his mate, Grace. “Dear, where are you leading us? We are heading in the direction of the trolls. The woman and children can’t defend themselves from the trolls.” She asked him with fear in her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“Yes I know we are heading towards the trolls, but we have no other choice. We will stay hidden from them as best we can, and we will let them fight the scourge that tries to follow us.” He brushed his lips onto her cheek as he gave her a reassuring smile. “Damn the scourge and Arthas for bringing them here!"

The group continued to move through Eversong Woods delving deeper and deeper into the troll territories in the south of the forest. They did not know where they headed, just that it was away from the scourge. The traveled for what seemed like millennia till they found a spot in the forest that would accommodate a group there size while keeping them hidden.

“We shall hide here until Arthas takes his undead army away from our lands, then we shall return to the city. I need . . . .” Arathyan began to issue orders to the women and a few of the older boys to gather wood and food while staying hidden from the trolls. As he finished his orders he strolled over to his mate and their children.

“It is not right Ara for our boys to see such pain at their age.” Grace looked down at the three boys that laid on the ground in front of her. Two of them were twins with the only difference between them being there personalities and the color of their hair. The third was a few seasons younger then them, and he laid in the middle, protected by his two older brothers.

Night had fallen and the group was altogether with fires lit all around the clearing by the magic from Arathyan’s palm. Grace and Arathyan sat apart from the group with their own fire as they were the only complete family there. The women continuously shot glances of hatred toward Arathyan.

“They think I am a coward for leaving the city with you and not staying to defend it.” He hung his head in shame.

Grace placed two fingers on his chin and lifted his head. “You left to protect your family and protect the women and children, there is no shame in that.” She gave him a reassuring smile but he could see the fear in it.

“There is something I must tell the boys.” He stood up and walked a few feet to where the boys slept. He shook awake only the twins and pulled them aside into the woods.

“What is it Father?” One of the twins asked yawning and stretching his arms.
“Andlat, Draumr, I need you to listen to what I say now and never forget it.” He kneeled down in front of them and placed a hand on each of there shoulders. “Trust no one unless they prove their trust to you, and even then do not take your eyes off them. When all else fails and all hope seems lost, hold onto it and stay true and loyal to each other no matter what. Place your brothers in front of yourself and only them. There is much deception and lies among the Sin’Dorei so do not pledge allegiance to them as I have. Your destiny will be revealed to you and you will know it when it comes, but never forget you have the power to alter your destiny. In everything you do, do it to the best of your abilities and be content with that. If you choose to be loyal to someone or something or a cause, then you have given your word and that is more powerful then your life. Never falter from the path you have chosen and let no one stand in your way to your destiny.”
Draumr and Andlat turned to face each other both as confused as the other. They didn’t know what half the words he said meant, but they both knew they would never forget it.

A scream tore through the silence of the night. Arathyan stood up immediately as a look of fear struck him. “That voice . . . . Grace!” He closed his eyes and disappeared. Draumr and Andlat began to run towards the clearing where the group was.

Arathyan appeared in the clearing to find half the group already dead. The clearing was surrounded by scourge minions. Arathyan’s hands began to freeze and his eyes turned pure white. Bolts of frozen energy began to take down the scourge as Arathyan launched them from his palms. As the last bit of energy left his palms he dropped to the ground exhausted. Grace ran to his side with the youngest of the three brothers, Sverdar, by her side. They were the only three still alive in the clearing.

Draumr and Andlat came to the edge of the clearing and climbed a tree quickly as the scourge continued to spread around it. Draumr looked at Andlat and pointed down silently. The scourge began to walk below the tree they were in. They turned their attention towards what was happening in the clearing.

Grace helped Arathyan to his feet as they stood proudly in the clearing. Arthas then entered the clearing carrying his blade frostmourne. A wicked grin crossed his face and horrid image he was.

“You thought you could escape did you Arathyan? I remember you. You were one of Jaina Proudmoore’s teachers. So you must be the one that taught her how to be a coward then . . . . Well no matter, my army is hungry and they crave elven flesh!” Arthas jumped forward and drove Frostmourne through Arathyan’s chest and with a quick sweep beheaded Grace. Sverdar began to run away crying. An abomination crashed through the trees and dropped one of his feet on Sverdar crushing him. “Take there bodies, we move on!” Arthas yelled mounting his undead horse and riding off.

Draumr and Andlat began to weep when they thought it was safe to make noise. The scourge had forgotten Sverdar’s body and they buried it in the middle of the clearing.

“What do we do now brother?” Andlat asked with his cheeks still swollen from the tears.

“You’n come wit us!” The two boys turned around to see a group of three trolls. . .

[Keeper Of Lore]

The twins stood in the center of the clearing where there family had been killed some years ago. They kneeled in front of the spot where there brother Sverdar had been buried.


“Brother, here lies our brother and yet I don’t feel pain, or sadness.” Andlat said as he crushed some herbs together in the palm of his gloves.

Draumr stood to his feet and tightened his metal gloves around his hands and gripped this hilt of his sword sheathed at his waist. “I believe it is because of what we have been through brother. Think about it, we saw our family murdered, we were enslaved by the trolls for years and their death came by our hand. You may not feel sorrow or pain and that is because it is all around us, it is what we live, what we feel all the time.”

“What do we do now then? Give him a proper burial so that his spirit can be released?” Andlat pulled out his [Prophetic Cane] and continued smashing the herbs as he concocted a potion.

“I have heard rumors that Lady Sylvanas now leads the forsaken. The trolls spoke of her power to raise the once living as undead to serve her. I think. . . . we shall go to her and ask her to grant us the same favor for Sverdar.” Draumr began to dig in the spot they buried there brother.

Andlat immediately stopped what he was doing and shot a dirty look at his brother. “A member of the Yawe family, once a beautiful High Elf, now an undead forsaken?! Brother that is preposterous!”

“Yes it sounds absurd but I am willing to go to that measure to get our brother back. It was our job to protect him and we failed, this is the least we can do!” Draumr continued to dig the grave.

Andlat continued what he was doing. “Madness is what it is but if that is how you feel then so be it.”


The brothers dug up the body and placed it in a handcrafted box. They began to carry it back to silvermoon city to the orb of translocation, the fastest route that was now created to the once human capitol of Lordaeron.


* * * * * * * * * * *

“My lady, we bring you our brothers body in hopes that you may have him join you among your ranks as a forsaken. We beg you to bring him back to us!” Draumr dropped to his knee in front of the undead Elf. Andlat stood not far off not making eye contact with the Lady or showing any respect to her.

“Forgive me Lady, he has much hatred toward this world and blames everyone for what has happened to us.”

The Lady switched glances from Andlat to the High Elf that kneeled before her. “Very Well.” She began to sing her lament of the High-born and a burst of magical energy shot out from the box that Sverdar’s body lie in. The top of the box exploded into pieces and Sverdar’s body hovered in the air filled with such a light that it was to bright to look at. Within seconds there was a pop and the room was back to normal and the Twins brother was gone.

Draumr stood up and snapped at the Lady, “Where is his body, what have you done?!”

“He will awake now, in Deathknell, where his service to me begins.” With those last words she shooed the brothers away from her presence.

Draumr and Andlat walked down the hall that led away from her lair. “You kneel before her as if she is your queen brother.”

“I did what had to be done, now shut your mouth and let us go greet Sverdar in Deathknell.”